I surprised my family with coupons for flu shots last weekend. They were not delighted. I guess I don’t really blame them, especially with all the controversies surrounding vaccinations these days. Are the shots even necessary? Or effective? Or safe?
Everything is debatable now, it seems.
Back when I was young, things were much simpler: Parents who really loved their children took them to the doctor for shots; all of the other parents, like mine, made their kids go swimming at Green Canyon Hot Springs.
Anyone who has ever lived in Southeastern Idaho can stop reading now, because they already understand. For everyone else, imagine a petri dish festering with influenza, hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox, and a host of other communicable diseases. That’s what the changing area was like, except with less privacy. The actual pool wasn’t nearly as bad, thankfully, since that same concentration of contaminants was being continually diluted by the natural seepage of urine and other bodily fluids from patrons like me.
By the time we got out, we felt very fortunate if we’d only been exposed to the flu. And we certainly didn’t get any lollipops or colorful bandages when we left. In fact, we were lucky if we got back all of all our original belongings.
So, yeah, Family, you’re welcome for the shots. They show just how much I love you.
Originally posted on Medium.
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